EL YUNQUE

Baskenland

Giel Cromphout , Kasper De Sutter, Jules Jordens and Matthias Jonniaux. Four names that you might not remember, but the music of this foursome from Hasselt (Belgium) on the debut album probably will be etched in your memory forever. The style? Well, noise rock, but we only say this because we can’t think of anything else. We hear some Swans, DNA or Swell Maps, but at least two thousand other noise terrorists as well.

After releasing two EPs, the band releases its first album which is recorded in five days. The opener Kaaiman slightly last longer than one minute, it's a primal scream. It pains your ears, but it also gives joy. Kassandra Esq. is less chaotic. The drums are played vibrantly with some witty guitars. It reminds us of Onmens, and that's a real plus! On the insane Noztect, you hear that the quartet carefully listened to great American bands as The Jesus Lizard or Melvins.

And then there's Kabeldraad. This track was released on the previous EP and lasted eleven minutes, on the album almost twenty (!) minutes. During 1121 seconds El Yunque immerses you in an ocean of musical noises. Some will label it as smallpox noise, others will see it as a catharsis. The guitars are violated, while you hear all sorts of strange Dutch phrases that are shouted. No man knows what it is about, but the music speaks for itself. This is the confrontation with yourself. The face that you do not want to see in the mirror. Music that hurts, the piece of glass that you're tapping into your skin. Inwardly, you cry your pain out, but you want to push your own limits. El Yunque does that as well. It's noise rock and you probably can find hundreds of comparable bands (noise, after all, always has a resemblance), but this band is mainly the musical puke of four tormented souls. It is beautiful? Not at all, but it impresses while a lot of (nice) things don’t.

El Yunque never will make pop, but if you want to introduce an unsuspecting person to this band, then choose the track Natwoord. The chance that he’ll embrace you with love is immensely small, but at least you tried!

Dredge is another attack on the eardrum, Neurosis is never far away! The CD ends with Und Dann, Die Kinder... No lullaby, as El Yunque does not compose lullabies, but another track that makes you bite the dust.

When it comes to originality, El Yunque fails, when it comes to having balls, this band is the first of its class!